Combination outer garment.



no MODEL.

F. WILOOMB.

COMBINATION OUTER GARMENT.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 21, 1902.

PATENTED APR, 21, 1903.

Z SHEETS-SHEBT 1.

I? .g (f

4400 Jam/mm D an/ VVz/c 0272,15

PATENTED APR. 21 1903.

P. WILGOMB.

COMBINATION OUTER GARMENT APPLICATION FILED MAR. 21, 1902.

2 SHBETS-SHEET 2.

N0 MODEL.

I uoemfoz Frarvl W/C0nd G How @1 4 citizen of the United States, residing at Nor-' Urn-re TA-rss la-TENT,

FRANK WILCOMB, or nonnisrown, P N SYLVANIA.

corners/arms cures GARMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of LettersPatent N0. 72 5,903, dated April 21, 1903.

Application filed March 21,

To all whom/ it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK WILcoMB, a

ristown, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Combination Outing Garments, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to shooting and outing coats; and it comprises a shooting-coat of skeleton and sleeveless form having ammunition-pockets and also game pouches or pockets therein and adapted to be worn as an outer garmentor coat at all times and seasons, the ammunition and game pockets being so arranged in relationfto each other that the weight of the shells and game is properly distributed to be carried comfortably by the sportsman. This skeleton coat is constructed with a view to permit access to the pockets of any inner garment with which it may be used .and not to interfere with the use of the inner garment, whether this be an ordinary vest, a sweater, or the inner section of myimproved combination outing-garment, which will be referred to hereinafter.

My invention in another of its aspects comprises the combination of a skeleton sleeveless outer shooting-coat with an inner outing or fishing coat, the former being adapted in size and form to be fitted over the inner coat or section and to be attached thereto in a certain relation which will not interfere with any usual or ordinary use of the inner coat, permitting the latter to be worn-open or closed, as may be desired, and at all times presenting a garment which is dressy in appearance and convenient in use and which to all intents andpurposes is one complete garment, having the combined utility of both portions or sections without the inconvenience and clumsiness of two separate garments, like'a shoot-.

ing-coat and an under amrnunition-vest.

Mycombination-coat just mentioned provides a hunting-coat when both inner and outer sections are used adapted for shooting in ordinary seasons or in cold or stormy weather. The outer skeleton sectionwhen used withoutrthe inner section provides a complete huntingwoat for shore-shooting or in warm weather when little clothing is de- 1902. Serial No. 59.279. (No model.)

sired, while the inner section when used alone provides an outing or fishing coat.

Bymy combination-coat the sportsman can avoid the expense of several single coatsone for hunting, one for fishing and outing, and one for use in warm weather.'

I am aware that it is old to use an undervest provided with means for carrying shells, said vest der a loose-fitting shooting-jacket; but my invention is different from this.

I employ no undervest, but an outside skeleton coat having both ammunitionand game pocketstherein. With the ordinary'shootingbeing worn as an ordinary vest uncoat having the undervest'for ammunition it i is necessary to wear the coat unbuttoned in order to have immediate access to the shells.

When this well-known underv'est is employed and a full supply of ammunition is carried,

it is often impossible to button the outer coat, and if so only with discomfort. With this ammunition-vest it is necessary to wear the outer shooting coat in order to carry the game, and the weight of the game being sustained wholly by the outer coat and the weight of the loaded shells being on the undervest discomfort results to'the wearer, for there is no tendency of the weight on one garment counterbalancing that carried by the other.

With my invention, comprising the outer skeleton coat carrying both the ammunition and the game, the weight is properly distributed at'front and back and is borne comfortably by the shoulders of the hunter, the innor coat serving also to cushion the weight of the outer garment across the shoulders and across the back of the neck. 1 In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front View of the complete coat. Fig. 2 is a side vi'ew of the same. Fig. 3 is a rear view of Fig; 1. Fig. iis a view of the skeleton shooting-coat detached. Fig. 5 is a view of the outing-coat alone. Fig. 6 is a front viewof the skeleton coat alone.

In the drawings the shooting-coat is shown at 1. form, as free from surplus cloth as possible to make it light in weight and allow good ventilation. It is provided in front with means for carrying the ammunition, said means consisting of the pockets 2, and also This is of the skeleton and sleeveless above mentioned are arranged at 4' on each "side of the front portion and so as to counterhalance each other. This shooting-coatis also provided at a point above the shell-receptacle with small pockets 5 and 6 for small articles. The purposes of the side openings of the skeleton coat will be hereinafter referred to.

The shooting-coat is in the preferred form of my invention combined with an outingcoat, these two coats being adapted to supplement each other in providing a complete garment intended to meet all the requirements of the sportsman under dilferentconditions of seasons and of use.

The two sections ofv the complete garment are made to fit each'other perfectly, and they appear as one garment when attached to each other.

The inner coat or section 12, Fig. 5,'is in the form of acoat with a collar 7 and sleeves 8, and it is buttoned down the front, as at 9. It is also provided with pockets,as at 10, and is suitable for fishing, camping, or general outing uses.-

The outer section or skeleton coat is attached to the inner section by means of rows of fastening devices 13, which may be snaps, buttons or hooks and eyes. These fastening devices are arranged slightly back from the edge of the flaps of inner coat or section, so

that when the outer section is in place and fastened it does not interfere with the buttoning or unbuttoning of the inner coat, and

it is held in place by the fastenings even when the inner coat is worn unbuttoned. From the above it will be seen that the shells and the game are all carried by the skeleton coat, and the shells are exposed in accessible position on the outside of the same. This outer coat being combined with the innor coat provides a garment which will afiord sufi'icient protection against cold. In cold weather the sportsman can keep the inner coat or section buttoned over warm clothing, vest, or sweater without interfering with the ready accessibility of the ammunition and the various pockets of the outer section or shooting-coat.

Another important feature of my skeleton outer section is the openings at the sides underthe arms. Through these openings the pockets of the inner garment or the gamepockets on the inside of the skeleton coat may be reached, the said openings being of such size and so located as to permit the hand to be passed through. By the construction and arrangement of the skeleton coat it will be seen that the uses of the inner garment are not interfered with in the slightest degree. I prefer tomake the pouch or pocket on the inner side of the back extend clear to and open at the edge of the back section of the skeleton coat.

As shown in Fig. 4, there are three cros straps or strips on each side of the skeleton coat. The upper and lower straps connect the front and back sections of the skeleton coat, while the intermediate strap extends from the edge of the front section to the edge of the inner wall of the pouch or pocket on theinner side of the back section. This leaves the opening or mouth to'the inner pocket or pouch unobstructed, and in my present construction such month extends from the point of attachment of the lower-strap to the back section of the skeleton coat to the point of attachment of the upper strap.

With my invention the skeleton coat, as before stated, not only has the shells carried thereby, but the game-pouches also, and the game in the large pouch at the rear will counterbalance the weight of the shells, and the whole weight being thus distributed will be sustained by the shoulders of the hunter.

With my improvement after a days shoot and when the sportsman is tired the skeleton shooting-coat, with the shells and the game, may be removed, if desired, without removing the inner coat or section, which may remain as a protection against cold, and the skeleton shooting-coat may be carried when removed like an'ordinary sack, thus enabling the sportsman to shift the load as comfort may dictate, but without the sacrifice of pro tection against the weather.

Vhen the sections or portions of the coat are made of the same material, as before stated, they constitute one garment in appearance and also in effect for certain purposes.

The skeleton coat may be used quite independently of the undercoat, and owing to its freedom from surplus material it becomes an ideal garment to be worn on warm days when very little covering is desired, as in the case of summer Woodcock shooting, shore-bird shooting, or plover shooting in July and August. In cases of this kind the sportsman has shell-pockets and game-pockets with no unnecessary weight or warm clothing.

I may provide on the skeleton coat straps to connect its front flaps or edges, which are useful when no under-coat is worn. These straps 15 may be turned in and held by buttons 14 on the inner side of the skeleton coat, if desired, when used with the inner coat.

I claim as my invention- 1. A sleeveless shooting-coat of skeleton form having strips to pass over the shoulders connecting the front and back sections of the coat, said coat having openings at the sides below the armholes to give ventilation and easy access to the interior of the coat, crosspieces to connect the front section and the back section, ammunition-pockets in the front section, game-pockets in said sections below the ammunition -pockets, a gamepouch on the inside of the back section accessibl'Qfrom the side and a game-pouch on,

v the side beneath the armholes a game-pocket on the inner side of the coat accessible through the said opening, and a game-pocket onijthe outer side of the coat, both the said inflegrand outergame-pockets being carried by-ithe back section of the coat, substantially asn c lescribed), 5 r 3 1 A shootingcoat formed of back and fro t sectionsi connected together with an openiugat the side beneath the armholeand a game-pocket on the inner side of the said coat having its \mouthcopen laterally at the edge of one of'said sections,substantially as described. I

i 4. In combination, an inner section or coat, an'outfer section and means for attaching the )iwo together with'the edges of the outer sec tion back from the flaps'or meeting edges of 0 the inner section, substantially as described.

. 5. In combination, the inner section or coat, the outer section and means for holding the sections togetherwith the flaps of the outer section back from the edge of the flaps of the inner section, substantially as described.

6. In combination, the outer and inner coats or sections, the outer one being of skeleton form having pockets for ammunition and game, and the inner coat also having pockets, means for fastening together the inner and outer coats, said outer coat having openings at the sides under the armholes to provide for ventilation and to provide access to the pockets of the inner coat and strips extendtions or coats, means for detachably connectv ing them together and an opening at the sides of the outer section to permit access to the FRANK WILOOMB.

Witnesses:

" (1G. (Jonson,

HAROLD CoRsoN. 

